Red Bull chief admits 'great' concern over Verstappen exit

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has confessed that he has real worries about whether the team can keep four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

The reigning champion is theoretically under contract through the 2028 season, but it was recently confirmed by Marko that there are various performance clauses which could allow an early exit.

Verstappen has now dropped to P3 in the drivers' standings following last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, further adding to the doubt over whether Red Bull are still able to provide the reigning champion with a competitive car.

Following Sunday's race, where Verstappen struggled to sixth place, a concerned Marko revealed serious doubts over the star's future with the team.

Speaking to Sky Germany, the Austrian said: "The concern is great. Improvements have to come in the near future so that he has a car with which he can win again. We have to create a basis with a car so that he can fight for the world championship."

Red Bull facing driver crisis over Verstappen contract

The four-time drivers' champion has been consistently beaten across the line by both McLarens in 2025 and has so far only secured one grand prix victory behind the wheel of the RB21.

Verstappen's win in Suzuka came in large part as a result of starting on pole position at a track where overtaking is infamously tricky, with a largely uneventful race meaning he held off the papaya drivers for the duration of the 53-lap event.

Having now slipped further down the order in the drivers' championship as Red Bull more or less drop out of the constructors' title conversation entirely, Verstappen's future in F1 is more in doubt than ever.

Despite Mercedes principal Toto Wolff insisting that signing Verstappen is no longer on his team's radar, the Silver Arrows boss certainly made no secret of his interest in acquiring his talent as Red Bull concerns emerged last season.

On top of that, it's been reported that Aston Martin could be willing to throw as much money as necessary towards stealing Verstappen away from Horner and Marko, an offer that would be much more attractive to the champion now that Lawrence Stroll's outfit boasts the brains of F1 design legend and former Red Bull technical superstar Adrian Newey.

READ MORE: F1 Results Today: Verstappen tumbles down standings as Piastri takes brilliant win

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